I first came across sofvi through my work. When I started learning more about the material and how these toys were made, I found it really interesting. Unlike regular models, sofvi doesn’t always aim for extreme precision. It keeps a certain quality that feels uniquely like a “toy,” and that was what gradually drew me into it.

The first sofvi I ever collected was a MARMIT Hedorah. It was molded in clear vinyl, with the internal organs visible inside. I remember being really surprised when I first saw it. It made me realize, “Wow, toys can actually be made like this.”

Elegab was also a very important early influence for me. It made me realize that sofvi doesn’t have to be about reproducing existing characters. It can also have a very strong personal style and even create an entirely original world of kaiju.

After that, I mainly collected tokusatsu kaiju sofvi. I’ve always been especially attracted to toys that feel retro, have slightly unusual proportions, or even look a little clumsy in a charming way.

I’ve always loved drawing, and I also used to make small models with stone powder clay. After discovering sofvi, I found the material and production process very different from the models I had made before, so I simply thought, “Why not give it a try?”

The idea behind the name Wonderpig Toys is that I hope both I and the people who enjoy my work can return, even for a moment, to that simple feeling of being a child. Like a little pig, you don’t have to think about too much. You can just focus on the toy in front of you and enjoy the simple happiness that toys can bring.

My main inspirations come from Showa-era tokusatsu films and movies like Jurassic Park, with their sense of exploration and undiscovered creatures.

I’ve always loved the feeling that there are still new species waiting to be discovered, so I gradually began imagining an island that belongs to Wonderpig Toys. On this island, new kaiju, animals, and even creatures that are difficult to describe can continue to appear.

For me, creating a new character feels a little like discovering a new species on the island, allowing this world to keep growing.

From the beginning, I’ve always loved the strong “toy-like” quality of Showa-era kaiju sofvi. When I design a character, I don’t really pursue overly realistic proportions or details. Instead, I intentionally keep certain parts simplified or exaggerated so that the character still feels like a real toy.

I also really like things that are cute but a little strange. Even when I’m designing a kaiju, I still want it to feel approachable and have its own personality. Those ideas have remained an important part of Wonderpig Toys from the beginning.

I’ve always loved how Kanegon looks very simple and cute on the surface, while the story behind him is actually quite thought-provoking.

He isn’t a powerful or frightening kaiju in the traditional sense. Instead, he has this clumsy and approachable charm. His appearance is also extremely distinctive—he looks a little strange, but somehow that just makes you like him even more. So when I had the opportunity to create Kanegon, I wanted to reinterpret him in my own way while keeping the simple, cute, and slightly unusual qualities that I love about the character.

My original idea was to imagine Kanegon after eating so much money that he had become a little overweight. So I made his body rounder and heavier, and shortened his legs to create the exaggerated proportions you see now.

While sculpting him, I also wanted to preserve Kanegon’s most recognizable features while adding some details of my own, so that the overall figure would feel more interesting rather than simply reproducing the original design.

And yes, the object in his right hand is a money bag. I wanted it to further emphasize Kanegon’s connection with money.

For both the vinyl color and the paint application, I wanted to keep a retro feel reminiscent of old Showa-era toys. The molded vinyl color itself is very important to me, so I don’t want every part of it to be completely covered by paint. I like the base color to remain part of the overall design.

For the paint application, I prefer to keep things simple and direct while preserving some of the character of an old toy. I also hope these pieces won’t just look good now. After many years have passed, I hope they can gradually become genuine “old toys” themselves.

It started with me collecting toys from Swimmy. Through a fortunate connection, I had the chance to meet the company president, Taku San, and we continued to stay in touch after that.

I’ve always really liked his eye for toys. Whether it’s his personal collection or the way he selects pieces, you can feel that he genuinely loves sofvi and values the individuality of both the characters and their creators. I really relate to that attitude toward toys.

Later, they launched ENKA VINYL as a new brand. What attracts me most about ENKA is the way it brings officially licensed characters together with the individual styles of different creators, rather than simply trying to reproduce the original designs. I think being able to respect the original work while still preserving the creator’s own personality is one of ENKA VINYL’s greatest strengths, and it is also a big reason why I wanted to be part of it.

If I have the opportunity, I would definitely love to continue working with ENKA VINYL. My goal is to make all of the cute kaiju that I love. It might sound a little greedy, but if I could gradually turn all of these characters into a complete series and eventually see them displayed together, I think that would be incredibly fun and very rewarding.

For now, the Godzilla series and characters from Ultra Q would be my top priorities. I hope I can slowly turn more of the kaiju I love into my own versions, one by one.

In the future, I would like to create more works that can become part of everyday life. Rather than making things only for collecting, I also hope toys can appear in people’s daily lives in different ways.

I’ll also continue taking part in more collaborations and joint projects, exploring new possibilities with different brands and creators. I’m also open to working on more officially licensed characters in the future, and I hope to reinterpret them in my own way.

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported Wonderpig Toys. Every time I see one of my works travel to another country and become part of a collector’s life, it still feels both exciting and a little unbelievable to me.

I’ll continue making toys that I personally love and find interesting, and I hope I’ll have more opportunities to meet everyone at events around the world.

Most of all, I hope everyone remembers that toys are meant to be played with.

Enjoy collecting them, and most importantly, enjoy playing with your toys!